posted
In my initial visit to my LLMD, the doc informed me that I would need to send coinfection testing to Igenex. The doc informed me, very fairly, that this would cost $468 and said my insurance may not cover it. My eyes went a little crossed, so she offered to have tests for babesia, bartonella, and ehrlichia done at my local labs.
Originally, my physician ordered a test for babesia and it came back as "equivocal". (This is what my original lyme tests were as well.)
This time, all three tests were performed by Quest Diagnostics. All three showed a negative result.
My question is this...should I move ahead with treatment or should I have the Igenex coinfection tests done?
Thanks for any thoughts.
William
Posts: 131 | From MD | Registered: Jul 2008
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posted
Hi, Am im with been battling to know what is what. Sure as most. Then who cares if Drs. knew how to treat us. Typically used to be up to doc`s. Now is us......
I think I have every c0-infection & many not named yet. I just know, my gut & my body.
Still not perfect test out there probably close to it was Bowen & Dr. W. Smart gal. All can say is go with guy, my Dr. does not even beieve in Igenex being so many tsted positive.
Hmmmm, now why could it be anyone bit buy anything prob. is carrier(no diff than cancer cells as said in last post. Why do they try to make it so complicated. Hmmmmmm could be $$$$ or fear? Plain only controversy on how to reat since all is guess work depending on Type Lyme. Hang in there, you make the important to You & You alone?? Huggsss, from allin Need Happy New Year/ OK. not best thing to twll each other struggling. SORRY.....Usually DUMB questions. Kerryblue Posts: 746 | From Clearwater/fl/Pinellas | Registered: Jun 2003
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TF
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 14183
posted
I suggest you get the Igenex coinfection tests done whenever you are able. The sooner the better. It is money well spent. It is nearly universal that people who have had lyme for at least a year also have coinfections. So, you have some. You just don't know which ones you have right now since you weren't tested by a good lab. Here's what Burrascano says:
CO-INFECTION A huge body of research and clinical experience has demonstrated the nearly universal phenomenon in chronic Lyme patients of co-infection with multiple tick-borne pathogens. (p. 4, 2005 Guidelines)
So, it will help your doctor greatly if Igenex tests will show the diseases that you have. For example, if you have babesiosis, the doc knows to treat you with Mepron. If you have bartonella, you will need the drugs specific to bartonella. And so on. See the Burrascano guidelines. Each disease requires treatment with specific drugs.
As Burrascano says, no one test is reliable, so the doc will have to order at least 2 different tests for each of the co-infections. You can look on the Igenex website if you want to see the price of each test, just for your peace of mind.
In my case, my doc was very surprised to get my Igenex results showing I had babesiosis and bartonella since I had no obvious symptoms of either.
So, this really directed the treatment plan for me. It can do the same for you. This way, the doc has more evidence to go on.
If you don't get the Igenex tests, you will be treated based on your symptoms only, since that is all the doc will have to go on. Or, perhaps the doc will try you on a med for babs and see how you react. Things like that. I'd rather have the tests and have the doc KNOW what I have. (Of course, even the Igenex tests are not 100% reliable, but they are the best we have.)
The doc really wants you to have these tests, but agreed not to do them based on your reaction (trying to save you some money). Other lyme doctors require the Igenex tests. They don't give the patient the option. They don't want to have to treat the patient without this information.
In Maryland, nearly everyone has babesiosis and bartonella along with the lyme.
Of my 2 Igenex tests for babs, one was positive and one was negative. This is typical. But, if either is positive, you are positive. In my case, the test that was positive is the one where they look at a sample of your blood through a very high-powered microscope. Per my doc, they actually saw the babesiosis in my red blood cells.
I think it helps the patient a lot as they struggle through the long treatment if they know that they really do have the diseases they are being treated for. So, that's another reason to get the Igenex tests. They will find your diseases when Quest and Labcorp will not.
Posts: 9931 | From Maryland | Registered: Dec 2007
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